The present invention relates to chewing gum compositions and methods for producing chewing gum. More particularly, the invention relates to producing chewing gum containing Alitame, a high-potency sweetener, wherein the gum formulation is adapted to delay the release of the Alitame.
In recent years, efforts have been devoted to controlling release characteristics of various ingredients in chewing gum. Most notably, attempts have been made to delay the release of sweeteners and flavors in various chewing gum formulations to thereby lengthen the satisfactory chewing time of the gum. Delaying the release of sweeteners and flavors can also avoid an undesirable overpowering burst of sweetness or flavor during the initial chewing period. On the other hand, some ingredients have been treated so as to increase their rate of release in chewing gum.
One such high-potency sweetener is Alitame (L-.alpha.-Aspartyl-N-(2,2,4,4-tetramethyl-3-thietanyl)-D-alaninamide hydrate). This sweetener, which is not yet approved for use in food products and chewing gum, is being considered by the FDA as a food additive. The manufacturer of Alitame is the Pfizer Corporation of Groton, Conn. This highly consumer-acceptable, high-potency sweetener gives chewing gum a fast, strong release that is not desirable. Methods of delaying the release of sweetness in balance with the chewing gum flavor would therefore be a definite improvement.
Use of Alitame in chewing gum has been disclosed in several patents. U.S. Pat. No. 4,411,925 discloses simple addition of Alitame in gum. U.S. Pat. No. 4,536,396 discloses combinations of Alitame and Acesulfame K in foods including chewing gum.
PCT Publication WO 90/06061 discloses a number of techniques for treating Alitame to modify its release from chewing gum.
Several patents have disclosed methods of improving the stability of Alitame, such as U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,034,231; 5,039,530 and 5,094,858 to Yatka et al.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,057,327 to Yatka et al. discloses chewing gum with an extended sweetness and flavor intensity using Alitame.
It would be considered a significant improvement to a chewing gum to have the Alitame sweetener release its sweetness as the flavor in the gum is released, thus balancing the overall taste perception, without having to first modify the Alitame. Since the normal sweetness release in gum occurs primarily during the first few minutes of chewing, it would be most beneficial if the sweetness release during the first six minutes of chewing could be delayed.